Margot Hitchcock – Historian and Author of books on the History of Blackwood and the Blackwood Police Stables Museum History.

Margot Hitchcock at the Blackwood Police Stables Historical Museum.

The History of how Margot Hitchcock became involved in the Blackwood & District Historical Society and became Historian and Author of Books on the History of Blackwood.  Compiled by Margot Hitchcock, Historian for the Blackwood & District Historical Society.  July 2022.

My family’s story of how we became connected to Blackwood goes back to the 1880’s when my Great grandmother came to Blackwood to live.  Fanny Eliza Conlon, was a widow when she gave birth to my grandmother, Frances Kate Conlon (Dot) after her husband died of T.B. in 1877 age 26 years old.  Fanny brought up her daughter in Richmond and when Dot was about 5 years old she caught Typhoid.  Fanny was advised to take Frances (Dot) to live in a more a healthy climate and so Fanny then moved to live to Blackwood with my grandmother from about 1883 to 1889. Fanny took a trip by train to Trentham and then the Cobb & Co. Coach to Blackwood for its pretty scenery, and fresh air.   Fanny E. Conlon is listed in the 1890 Post Office Directories of Mt. Blackwood as a Dressmaker.  Fanny Conlon brought Frances back to Richmond when she was 12 years old to further her education. 

Kate Eliza Conlon on a holiday with family in Tasmania where she caught Typhoid. 1883.

My Great Grandmother, Fany Eliza Conlon in Tasmania visiting her Burrows relatives in 1883.

My grandmother, married my grandfather, Walter Warner in1899, and they went to Blackwood for holidays and it was here that Walter purchased two blocks of land on a Miners Right. He bought the Barrys Reef School No. 885, built in 1875 for the miner’s children, but no longer used, and he then had two houses built in 1929 out of the timber from the School.  One house he sold and the other ‘Wannawong’ was kept as a holiday house for the family, and which we still use today for holidays.  A Miners Right in those days let you have a ¾ acre block of land for 5 shillings (50 cents) a year, and you had to build a house on the land.  

Barrys Reef School, Blackwood No. 885. 1879.
‘Wannawong’ showing same vent in top of wall as in school photo. Also pressed kerosene tins on end of verandah wall below window. c. 1970.
my mother, Dorothy Warner, December 1929 in front of ‘Wannawong’ after house was built in Blackwood.
Four generations at ‘Wannawong’ Blackwood – from left front – great Grandmother – Fanny Eliza Conlon nee Burrows, baby Jill Roberts, my mother Dorothy Roberts. Back my Grandmother – Frances Kate Conlon. 1938.

The Warner family with their three children, including my mother enjoyed the summer and Easter holidays at Blackwood.  This house now owned by Margot Hitchcock and her family, is used by her and her two children and six grand-children and two great grandchildren for holidays.  I have loved going to Blackwood with my family since I was a child and my favourite walk was to go to the Blackwood Cemetery and reading the names and information on the tombstones and then wishing someday I could learn more about them.  My favourite being ‘Little Doaty’ and then later as Historian learning who she had been and how she died.

My family at ‘Wannawong’ Blackwood in 1952, back – my grandfather, Walter Warner; my grandmother Frances Kate Warner nee Conlon; my mother, Dorothy Roberts; my sister Jill Roberts, Front – my sister Nina Roberts and myself, Margot Roberts.

In my interest of Genealogy I became a member of the Australian Institute of Genealogical studies, and volunteered to help in their library where I learnt to research records and then was offered a job as Professional Researcher.  With this knowledge I then researched my own Family Tree and that of many other requests for help with Family Genealogy. My research led me to The Public Records Office, Shipping Records, Latrobe Library and later -Trove –Australian early newspapers on-line, and Victorian B D & M records, and Inquest Records etc.

In my role as Historian for the Blackwood Historical Society I visited people from Blackwood who had stories and photos to show me of early days of Blackwood.  I bought a Pentax (SLR) Single Lens Reflex camera with a Macro lens for copying photos and set up a stand for copying off old photos lent to me. I was also lent some old glass negatives which I paid to have had made into photos. Also people contacted me through my web page which I set up in 2000 with some help, where people emailed me copies of their family photos.  With these now over 1,000 copies of photos I feel they bring to life the true history of Blackwood.   The Blackwood Historical Society was given permission to use and restore the old Police Stables building as a Historical Museum, by the Education Department who then occupied the Police Station for Special Needs Children as a School Camp.  The money for some renovations came from the sale of the building next to the General store that had been donated to the Historical Society by the family of the late Cyril Jones, but due to problems with boundary areas and an underground petrol tank, this building was sold to the store and the money then agreed upon by the Society to be used to build a museum at the back of the Police Stables.   This work on the Stables was commenced in 1976 and carried out by members of the Society together with members of the Police Historical Re-enactment Society who joined the Historical society.  Working bees were held, led by Stuart Duff and work was completed to lock-up stage in 1978 with work also done on the interior of the stables where various donations of historical items were put on display. The stables was open over the Easter celebrations in Blackwood in 1978 and members took part in the Easter parade. At the Easter Events in 1979 members of the Society and the Police Re-enactment Society put on a shoot-out between ‘bushrangers’ and the society members dressed in period costume and Police uniforms with the Stables open to the public showing a Police Historical and Goldfields display in the stables.    Similar displays were held other years.

Map of Golden Point Blackwood showing the original Police Station and Stables on the corner of Clarendon St and King Street.

Blackwood Police Stables before renovations started in 1976.

A colorised version of the Blackwood Police Stables before renovations started in 1976. courtesy Margot Hitchcock, Historian for the Blackwood & District Historical Society.

Working bee at the Police Stables – Owen, Margot Hitchcock, Stewart and Pam Duff and Peter Hansen 1976.
Police Re-enactment and display 1979 at Police Stables.
At the Easter Events in 1979 members of the Historical Society and the Police Re-enactment Society put on a shoot-out between ‘bushrangers’ and the society members dressed in period costume outside the Blackwood Hotel.

I went to the first meeting on the 14th April 1973, organized in the Blackwood Hall over Easter, by Bill Matheson who thought it was a good idea to form a Historical Society.  I became a member and was voted on the committee and have been Official Historian since 1980, because of my interest in writing and researching the local history.  This was followed by being asked by Alan Buckingham to become Co-Author of a book on the history of Blackwood.  I typed up my contribution on my portable typewriter for this book, called ‘Aspects of Early Blackwood’ and it was published in 1980, and launched in the Blackwood Hotel by the Minister for Tourism from Ballarat. Today I am the only active person left who is still a current member of the Blackwood Historical Society, for 50 years. 

Alan Buckingham and Margot Hitchcock at the Book launch at the Blackwood Hotel in 1980 of their book – ‘Aspects of Early Blackwood’.

In 1984 I became the Editor of the Blackwood Historical Society’s magazine we called ‘The Blackwood Recorder’ and I used my portable Typewriter and typed up the magazine which we had copied to give to members.

Blackwood Recorder magazine 1984 with the late Allan Hall dressed as Captain Moonlight on front cover being taken in charge by Stuart Duff dressed as local policeman, Ballan Arcadian Arts Festival Parade 1984.

In 1998 Allan Hall, a builder and President of the Society, then commenced to build a Meeting room and Museum on the back of the Stables to incorporate a kitchen and a big area to display historical items and photographs etc.  This work was completed approx. 2003 during which time the Historical Society had been dormant for several years.  Allan set up items on display with his own and mother’s items and ones donated to the Society.  The Historical Society, resumed in December 2004 with some original and new Members interested in continuing the work of the Police Stables restoration so it could be an added Tourist attraction to Blackwood and show some of Blackwood’s fascinating Gold Mining era. 

Allan Hall left and my friend Brian building the extension the Blackwood Police Stables Museum. 1998.
Book launch of my book I wrote – ‘Some History of Simmons Reef, Blackwood’, with some members of the Blackwood Historical Society. 2007. The late Allan Hall back right, and Pat Liffman middle front.
Margot Hitchcock at book launch of ‘Some History of Simmons Reef’. 2007.

In 2006 I was given a ‘Victorian Government Small Grant’ organised by a member of the Society, Pam Liffman. I typed up the book on my new computer and had it printed in July 2007 and launched in the Blackwood Hall by Don Nardella M.P. Member for Melton. The book was called ‘Some History of Simmons Reef, Blackwood’.

In 2009 following my debilitating stroke I commenced to write my next book – ‘The Billy Pincombe Tragedy – The Tragic shootings of a Minister and Billy Pincombe’ which I typed up on my computer and had it printed in 2014, and launched in the Blackwood Historical Museum, by Stuart Duff.  Over the years since I have kept up my love of the History of Blackwood and continue to add information to my Blackwood web page – www.blackwoodpublishing.com and add information to my Facebook page – ‘Blackwood History and Pioneers’ and answer peoples enquiries about ancestors and the history of Blackwood.

Book launch of the ‘The Billy Pincombe Tragedy’ 2014 with my son, Philip Hitchcock left, and Stuart Duff right, at the Blackwood Police Stables Museum.

My next book – ‘History and Pioneers of Blackwood’ was commenced in 1996 when I purchased my first computer.  Over the 30 years I have researched this book I have typed up over 700 pages.  It is hoped that one day I can obtain a Government or similar grant to have it published so I can share these pages of interesting history of Blackwood.  

Thanks to all the people, who over the fourty nine years I have been collecting photos and information on the history of Blackwood, have helped me to show, – ‘I have a legacy to leave the present and future generations of people who love Blackwood.’Researched by Margot Hitchcock from her forthcoming book ‘The History and Pioneers of Blackwood’, hopefully to be published soon.  Other books published by Margot Hitchcock – “Aspects of Early Blackwood”, Some History of Simmons Reef, Blackwood”and “The Billy Pincombe Tragedy”. See – www.blackwoodpublishing.com  For help with information on Blackwood ancestors contact Margot Hitchcock – email – margothitchcock@bigpond.com

Blackwood and District Historical Museum when completed. Photo by Margot Hitchcock 2009.

ALL PHOTOS BY MARGOT HITCHCOCK AND COPYRIGHT OR BY HER PERMISSION.